Where Her Heart Used To Be
by Ceinwen
Summary: A romance between female Arisen and male Main Pawn, and revelations about pawns the way I imagine they could be. Follows the basic structure and timetable of the game, with a bunch of "side" stuff that only happened in my head. :) Anyway, this summary might suck but I hope the story's good. Please review! Rated M for swearing, violence and later "romantic activities", if you will.
1. Chapter 1

Fish. The smell hung in the air and clung to everything. Growing up in a fishing village like Cassardis it was to be expected, but she really couldn't stand it. She'd just come from a day's work clinging to a boat, hauling in nets, sorting through and chopping up sea life. She was headed to the grocer to sell a basket of fish right now. Same thing day in and day out; it grew tedious sometimes. _There must be somewhere free of this smell_, Ceileigh thought as she walked along the beach. Her feet guided her automatically toward the grocer's as she lost herself in thoughts of faraway lands, the capital, even trails she hadn't explored in the hills around Cassardis - anywhere outside the walls of her hometown. She snapped out of it when a familiar figure caught her attention.

Quina, Ceileigh's closest childhood friend, was waving at her from farther down the beach. Quina was more like a sister to Ceileigh. After Ceileigh's parents died, Quina's father Adaro took her in and raised her as his own. Aside from having lost their mothers, the two girls couldn't have been more different. Quina was dark skinned, with long dark hair and was always in a dress. On the other hand, Ceileigh was very fair with blue eyes and blonde hair. She preferred practicality over vanity, though her natural beauty was noticed often by those around her. Today, as usual, her hair was tied back in two braids that twisted into a bun, and she wore sturdy fisherman's work clothes.

Ceileigh was just about to make her way through the crowd toward her friend when she heard a distant boom. She snapped her head toward the ocean to see a large red shape punch through the sky above the clouds and hurtle toward the sea. She couldn't tell what it was, it almost looked like a gigantic red rock. Surrounded by a cloud of…what, she couldn't tell. Large birds? The space it came from seemed to be utterly dark but glowing at the same time. As she watched, two massive wings unfurled from the rock's sides and it changed course, gliding straight toward them with frightening speed.

Ceileigh realized with sudden, sickening clarity what the object was - a dragon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: So I'm going to take some liberties throughout and put my own spin on things, or add details/events that weren't actually there in the game. It changes things a little, but the overall story stays mostly the same - I hope nobody minds! It's just my imaginings and take on things. I'm not totally confident writing action scenes so please review and let me know what you think or give me advice. :) Does it flow okay?**

Everything happened at once. People screamed and scattered, stumbling in their haste to get away. Ceileigh watched, frozen for a moment, before joining the rush. The dragon was halfway to shore already. Everything in her was screaming RUN! She only a made it a few desperate steps before the dragon crashed down on the pier, sending wood and ropes flying high into the air. Ceileigh threw herself back just in time to avoid a jagged plank that plowed through the sand. A split second later she was knocked to the ground as giant claws slammed down right next to her.

Ceileigh scrambled backward, keeping her eyes locked on the beast's face. She saw it's chest expand and a cloud of gas ripple in front of it's mouth as it prepared to breathe fire. Just then her hand fell on something metal. Glancing back she saw it was the hilt of a sword someone dropped as they ran. She grabbed it and rolled away as a torrent of flame washed over the spot she'd just been in.

The dragon lashed it's tail angrily, demolishing most of a building to the east. New screams and commotion drew it's attention there. Ceileigh used the distraction to regain her footing. She held the sword out in front of her awkwardly. She'd never used one before, but if these were her last moments she sure wasn't going down without a fight. The job of defeating a dragon belonged to someone greater than her, but maybe she could draw it away from the others and give them a chance to escape.

"Hey! Over here!" she shouted, waving the sword over her head. The dragon swung back to face her and she ran down the beach, keeping one eye on the dragon and her weapon pointed up at it. It took only a few steps to catch up and swipe at her. The blow came too fast for her to outrun it - she could see the curve of yellow claws coming round in front of her and she knew she'd be swept off her feet or crushed. She did the only thing she could do. Spinning to face the palm of the dragon's hand, she braced herself and drove her sword into it's flesh as far as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the views and the follows. :) Thanks Michelle Clover for the review and advice. Hope you all enjoy this next chapter and my take on things!**

The impact of the blow knocked all the air out of her and sent her flying out into the sea. She landed in water that was almost covering her face and she barely had the strength to hold her head up. Between that and not being able to breathe she was afraid her head would fall and she'd drown. Through blurry eyes she could see the dragon lift its hand and consider the sword stuck in it. It looked like a toothpick against the beast's giant palm. He dislodged it easily with a flick of the wrist and it fell to the sand far below.

The dragon turned slowly toward her as she lay helpless. It crossed the distance to her and spoke deep, rumbling words she couldn't understand. She struggled to move as it dipped one of its great claws toward her. It tapped her chest and it was like a great force of energy shot into and out of her, arching her body up out of the water as every muscle contracted painfully. When she splashed back into the water, able to breathe now but gasping with pain and exertion, she realized her still-beating heart was impaled on the tip of the claw and rising away from her. _How is that possible?!_ she thought in disbelief._ I should be dead…maybe I'm dying right now…_. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was her heart somehow floating from the tip of the dragon's claw into its mouth.

Ceileigh opened her eyes slowly, sore everywhere and still groggy. After a moment she realized she was in a bed on the floor of her adopted father's home, alongside a few other people who were injured or unconscious. She struggled up to her elbow and saw that her shirt was ripped wide open, revealing a large scar just to the left of the center of her chest. _My heart!_ she thought frantically as everything rushed back to her. She quickly raised a hand to touch the scar and immediately the dragon's voice boomed, seemingly from inside and around her at once. "_IF YOU WOULD FACE ME…TAKE UP ARMS, NEWLY ARISEN!_"

With a gasp she flung her hand back down the blanket she was laying on and sat up fully. It was strange, if her heart was still inside her it would have been beating wildly. She still felt something like an adrenaline rush and her hands were shaking.

"What the hell is happening to me?" she breathed.

"Coz, you're awake!" Quina rushed to her from the other side of the room, toting a basket full of herbs. Between her knowledge of medicinal plants and her budding skill as a mage, Quina was becoming quite the healer. Ceileigh noticed distantly that her friend's face was drawn and pale even though she looked relieved at the moment.

"Quina. I didn't see you there," she said weakly. "What of the village? Is everyone okay? Has Adaro spoken to the people?"

"Ceileigh…I don't know how to say this," Quina paused and drew a deep breath. "My father is dead. He was found under a piece of wall that was knocked down during the attack." Her voice broke near the end.

"I'm so sorry!" Ceileigh exclaimed, leaning forward to hug her friend. She felt the loss deeply as well, since she'd loved Adaro almost as much as she'd loved her own father. They both cried for a few minutes and finally broke the hug. There were people who needed tending to; they would have to put off really grieving until later. Sniffling and with tears still in their eyes, Quina helped Ceileigh to her feet.

"I have to make rounds in the village, many are badly injured and we haven't accounted for everyone yet either," Quina said shakily. "We can figure out your condition later. You seem stable for now, but I couldn't hear your heartbeat and you have that scar. I couldn't see what happened to you after the dragon knocked you down, it had its back to the village. If he scratched you the wound wouldn't have healed already."

"He took my heart, Quina. He reached down and plucked it right out of me," Ceileigh told her, almost crying again at the memory of it. "I don't know how, but my heart is gone and I'm _still here_. It must be some kind of magic?"

Quina looked scared. "Or a curse! What seems like a miracle can't be good if performed by a dragon. When word of this gets around - "

"People will look at me differently," Ceileigh finished. "Something happened between us. He spoke to me and he _ate_ my heart, and when I touch the scar I can hear him again. He's calling me to him. I need to make this stop. I don't think I can stay here."

Quina glanced away uncomfortably. "Look, I need to get out there. Let's talk about this in a bit okay?" She turned and left the house before Ceileigh could reply, leaving her to consider her future in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I bounced this off my husband verbally but he hasn't actually laid eyes on it, so sorry if there are any spelling mistakes I missed. Thanks for all the views and such. :) Please review to let me know what I need to work on or what you liked. Thanks!**

Ceileigh spent a few moments weighing her options. Part of her was angry and wanted revenge for the destruction of her village and the death of her friends and stepfather. Part of her was scared and overwhelmed by the power of the dragon and wondered if there was some way besides fighting to get out of this situation. Probably the strongest feelings she had right now were confusion and apprehension over what was happening to her and numbness at the unreality of it all. No matter what, she knew she had to resolve this dragon business or her life would never get back to normal.

She started getting the claustrophobic feeling of being drawn into a situation against her will, but she shook her head to clear it and looked around the room. Her first order of business was exactly as the dragon said - if she was leaving the village she'd need weapons. She didn't have any kind of combat training, but she thought she'd be most comfortable with a set of daggers since she was used to working with them as a fisherwoman. She recalled a desk drawer where Adaro had an old rusty set and grabbed them. Someone's bow was propped up near the doorway and she picked that up too as an afterthought. She had great aim with a harpoon, so maybe she could learn to use arrows with some guidance.

Ceileigh gathered all her personal belongings, tucked the daggers into either side of her belt, clutched the bow to her chest to cover her gaping shirt, and walked out the door. She didn't know how the villagers would react to her and she didn't know what to say about the whole situation anyway. She walked quickly, kept her head down, and hoped to make it to Aestella's shop without incident. _Second order of business, getting clothes that aren't shredded and covered in blood_, she thought wryly.

Most people were too preoccupied with their own problems to see her hurrying by. Except, apparently, for one teenage boy named Lewes who was staring open-mouthed at her chest. Smirking, she walked faster to Aestella's shop and slipped inside.

"'Ello coz!" the round woman called cheerfully. "How are ye farin'?"

"Hello. I'm…okay," Ceileigh shrugged, shaking her head. "Still trying to make sense of things, you know?"

"Glad to hear it. Inez says the dragon struck you, is it true?" Aestella asked with wide eyes.

"Yes. As you can see, it left me in quite the awkward position," she tried to joke, lowering the bow and gesturing to her torn shirt.

"Oh, of course! Here dear, take this at no charge." The shopkeeper dug around in some crates behind the counter. "This should be about your size." Ceileigh held up the loose-fitting beige shirt and thought it would probably work. She put it on and wiggled out of her old shirt underneath. She thanked Aestella and went to find Quina. She had no idea when she would see her hometown again and she wanted to say goodbye to her closest friend.

She got a little way down the village's main path when she caught sight of Inez with Chas and Barten. Those two were always after Inez and she never gave in to either one. She had a bit of a mean streak but the two men still followed her around like dogs begging for a treat. When Inez caught sight of Ceileigh she pointed at her.

"I saw what happened, Ceileigh - what you did!" she said loudly. "You commune with dragons. You called the beast upon us and gave your very soul to it!"

"We all saw it!" said Barten, gesturing between the three of them.

Ceileigh stopped in her tracks, affronted. "Why would the dragon attack me if I was in league with it?" she scoffed.

"As a ruse, perhaps? It sure seemed as if the dragon came here for you! And it destroyed half our village in the process. You've murdered your own kin!" Inez spat.

"That's not true!" Ceileigh shouted at her, one hand unconsciously gripping a dagger handle.

"Look! _Look!_ The witch is going to kill us too!" the other lady cried shrilly. A few people were starting to stare.

Ceileigh pointedly removed her hand from the dagger and stalked past them. She didn't see Quina anywhere yet, so she went to the inn to buy a travel sack from Pablos.

"You're leaving Cassardis?" he asked in dismay. "I don't like the idea of you venturing about the countryside alone. Can't I talk you out of it?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm afraid not," Ceileigh said, then took a chance. "Have you heard what happened? To me I mean?"

"You took on the dragon, and for that I say you're a hero!" he proclaimed. "That harpy Inez is spreading rumors that the dragon spoke to you and you're some kind of witch, though. Knowing her, she's probably jealous that someone else is getting attention."

They laughed for a moment, then turned serious. "Pablos, the dragon did speak to me but we are enemies. It said I must face it in battle. I'm leaving to figure a way out of this mess."

"Then good luck, coz. We will miss you. And be careful, it's getting late in the day and monsters grow stronger when night falls." Pablos handed over the travel sack. Ceileigh packed her things in it, nodded to Pablos and left the inn.

A small crowd greeted her outside. Unsurprisingly, Inez was at the front with her arms folded and an unfriendly glint in her eye.

"What say you, witch?! Will you call down more monsters on us?" she shouted.

Ceileigh heard other cries from the crowd.

"How did she heal so quickly?!"  
"How does she yet live with no heart?!"  
"She cares nothing for her people!"

Red with anger and embarrassment, she said nothing and made quickly for the village gate. She heard a voice behind her call out and then a hand was on her shoulder. She spun around, ready with biting words before she realized it was Quina.

"Goodbye, coz," Quina said with tears in her eyes.

"You understand why I have to go?" Ceileigh asked, trying not to cry.

Her friend nodded. "I only hope this is a temporary goodbye."

"So do I," Ceileigh said, then turned and walked out of Cassardis.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: What's the difference between "views" and "visitors"? Hope this chapter didn't get too lengthy - I tried and failed to keep it to two pages. Please review and let me know what you think! :)**

The sun was now low enough in the sky that it glared straight into Ceileigh's eyes over the edge of the cliffs outside Cassardis. Where she stood, a dirt path curved left to the east and the ground to either side was covered in lush grass, boulder piles and several types of trees. To her right, the cliffs dropped off to the beach. Beyond that, water stretched as far as she could see.

Sighing, she put a hand up to shield her eyes and started off down the path. Before she got very far, a small bang-whoosh sound just over her shoulder made her yelp and she ran a few involuntary steps before turning and drawing one of the daggers. Fear rushed through her when she saw another dark yet glowing hole in the sky, exactly like the one the dragon came through except much smaller. _More creatures?_ she wondered, awkwardly throwing her bag off her shoulder and wrangling the other dagger from her belt.

Instead of a monster, Ceileigh was surprised when a man dropped through the hole, crouching as he hit the ground. He straightened and raised his right hand. He bore a strange mark there, like three jagged rays of light, or maybe glowing scars, emanating from where his pinky finger met his palm. In his other hand he held a mage's staff.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" Ceileigh demanded, gesturing in his general direction with one rusty blade. Now that she was brandishing them at someone, she realized just how decrepit these daggers really were. That on top of the fact that she had no idea what she was doing with them. This man certainly didn't seem concerned in the least.

"I mean you no harm, Arisen," he said calmly, lowering his hand. "I am Rook of the pawn legion."

There was that name again. "The dragon called me that - Arisen. What does it mean?"

"You are our master and the chosen one," Rook stated. The hole behind him shrank and closed completely.

"Huh?" Ceileigh asked dryly. "What is a pawn? Did you come from the same place as the dragon?"

"Pawns come from the Rift, Arisen. We exist to aid your fight against Grigori," he replied.

Ceileigh raised an eyebrow. "Grigori is the dragon? He has a name?"

"Yes. Men are gathering at the encampment up the road, building forces to battle him. We should make our way there now," Rook gestured that way and took a few steps. "This way, Arisen."

Ceileigh just stood there for a few seconds, then threw her hands up and trotted after him. "Sure. Why not? I don't know where else I'm going anyway." She glanced over at Rook's unreadable face. He had unruly reddish brown hair and a droopy mustache. His blue eyes seemed flat and dull.

"So what's the Rift?" she asked.

"It is the home of the pawn legion, Arisen," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

"You don't have to call me that every five seconds you know," said Ceileigh. Rook didn't reply.

"How did you know where to find me?" she tried again.

"You are the Arisen," was all he said.

"You're _so_ helpful!" Ceileigh said in exasperation.

"Thank you, Arisen," Rook replied.

"Agh!" Ceileigh threw her hands up again and stomped on ahead.

As she rounded a curve in the path she heard the cries and shouts of a fight. A minute later she could see a trio of brown goblins harassing a man carrying a large burlap sack. The creatures stood about four feet tall, and were lean but wiry. The man barely blocked a blow from one of their clubs, and another used the opportunity to snatch away the sack.

"Help! Somebody help me!" the man cried, falling to his knees.

"Hey!" Ceileigh shouted angrily, throwing down her own bag again. "Leave him alone!"

The third goblin held the unfortunate man in place as the others turned their attention to her. "Stupid human!" they shrieked, waving their weapons.

"Great," Ceileigh muttered as she drew her own. _Just go for it_, she urged herself. Not stopping to think any further, she ran at the pair.

The two goblins charged to meet her. She swerved to avoid a rock thrown by the one closest to her, and then they crashed into each other. The goblin's arms went around her waist and she landed on her back with a thump. Between the ground underneath her and the creature's elbow digging into her gut, the breath was knocked out of her. Memories of the dragon's attack flashed through her mind. _This is nothing compared to that_, she told herself. _Get up!_

Ceileigh held her left arm against the goblin's throat to escape its teeth and pushed against its chest with the other hand. The creature was a full foot and a half shorter than her but it had an iron grip and the drive of an animal. Gnashing teeth drew closer and closer to her face and she felt her arm giving out. She wriggled her right arm from between their bodies, drew back and stabbed the goblin's side repeatedly until it rolled away from her.

She sat up just in time to see the other goblin reach her side only to be knocked back by a line of fireballs that missed her head by a mere foot. The goblin holding the traveler down was killed with the same attack. The one that knocked her down was still writhing face down on the ground. Before it had a chance to get up, Ceileigh straddled it and drove both daggers into the base of its skull, showering her arms and chest in red-black blood. Slowly she rolled onto her rear beside the body. Again she had that unreal numb feeling and now she was starting to shake.

"Strength in numbers, Arisen," said Rook from beside her. She looked up at him, panting, with a pleading look on her face. He was holding his hand out to help her up.

"I've never killed anyone before," she said, clearly upset as she got to her feet.

"Those aren't any_one_, they're any_thing_," said the man in a high, fussy voice. He had dark, slicked back hair and a big nose.

"I guess you're right," Ceileigh said, eyeing the bodies doubtfully.

"You're quite the fighter, eh?" the man said, retrieving his pack. "I'm Reynard, a traveling peddler. You saved my life!"

"Uh - ," Ceileigh started, not sure what to say.

"Here!" Reynard exclaimed, digging in his bag. "You don't seem to have much protection. Take this cloak as a token of my thanks. Now, I'm getting off this damnable road and into Cassardis, which is where I was headed in the first place!"

Ceileigh felt a lurch in her chest. "Thank you. Wish I was going with you," she said.

"Perhaps we'll meet again one day," said Reynard cheerfully, waving goodbye as he walked away.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the direction of the encampment. Rook stood there looking at her with no expression, seemingly unfazed by any of what just happened.

Ceileigh shook her head and said, "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

The encampment wasn't much farther down the road, and soon Ceileigh saw the points of its wooden walls poking up above the trees. She and Rook walked in silence now, all of Ceileigh's questions suppressed for the moment as she thought over her fight with the goblins. She'd glanced over her shoulder as they'd walked away and saw all three bodies bubbling and collapsing. Within seconds they'd dissolved into thick brown puddles of goo, which was fairly disturbing.

Night fell just as they reached the gate. As they went through, Ceileigh turned to Rook. "So what's the plan? I need new clothes - again - some kind of armor and better weap - ,"she began, cutting off abruptly as a new voice boomed inside her head. It actually sounded like many voices all at once, rushing at her from far away.

_"WELL MET, ARISEN. CAN YOU HEAR OUR VOICE?"_

"What the hell, am I doomed to hear voices for the rest of my life now or what?!" Ceileigh exclaimed. A soldier walking by raised an eyebrow at her. Rook, of course, just stared.

"Seek out the riftstone, Arisen," he said blandly.

"Give me a minute to get my bearings," she replied, rubbing her forehead. Hearing voices inside her head didn't exactly hurt, but it vibrated her skull and took a little bit out of her somehow. She looked around at the encampment layout. To her left were tents and storage crates, to her right was more of the same and the door to a training ground. In front of her was an open gateway to bigger tents and lookout towers. Royal soldiers, peddlers, smiths and other workers were milling about everywhere even though it was night time.

"Let's check out that tent in the other courtyard," Ceileigh said, pointing to one with a big blue, white and red flag in front of it. "It looks like there might be a shop inside."

The Duke's soldiers were all over the inner area, along with other armed people who Ceileigh assumed must be mercenaries. They didn't wear royal uniforms and looked to be from all walks of life and fighting styles. She felt like a lot of them were staring at her, but surely it was her imagination. She was feeling fairly self-conscious after all._ Barging into the middle of their preparations, covered in goblin blood and being followed by THIS weirdo_, she thought, shooting an irritated glance over her shoulder at Rook.

Ceileigh noticed a woman with short, dark hair, tan skin and a beautiful white and silver uniform standing outside the tent. She was talking to a couple soldiers and had a foreign accent Ceileigh couldn't place. The other woman nodded curtly to her as she passed into the first room of the tent. Sure enough, it was lined with shelves holding barrels and crates of goods.

"Hello, ser," said a man behind a small counter. "I am Ecbal. I can find storage for your belongings, and have items for sale. You can also sleep here for the night if you wish." Next to him, an opening lead to the main part of the tent but it was dark and Ceileigh couldn't make out what was inside beyond more shelves and some benches.

"Good, thank you! I need a new shirt, a good set of daggers, and some kind of armor. Light armor." She looked down. "And new boots that won't wear out on the road. Oh, and arrows for this bow. And a heavier cloak, it's getting pretty cold now that it's dark." Her stomach rumbled and she realized she hadn't eaten a thing since waking up after the dragon attack. She sighed resignedly and dug in her travel sack.

"Okay, just give me a clean shirt and direct me to the nearest food source," she said flatly, slapping her near-empty coin pouch onto the counter.

A few minutes later she and Rook were sitting on a log bench outside, eating rabbit stew by the light of his lantern. She was careful not to spill any on her new shirt. Even though it was cheap for those outside the village, it was still the fanciest shirt she'd ever owned. She'd opted for a long sleeved shirt of thick white material that almost looked quilted. Although she couldn't afford everything she needed, the rest of her coin had gone farther than she thought. She'd replaced her old daggers with ones that were shorter and thinner but in much better shape. She was also able to buy a very small, thin breastplate that really only covered the left side of her chest. _There's nothing left there to protect_, she thought. She wondered what _would_ happen if she was stabbed where her heart used to be.

"You must seek out the riftstone, Arisen," Rook urged as she finished her last bite of stew.

"Will it tell me more about the pawn legion, then?" Ceileigh asked.

"Yes, Arisen," he replied.

"Fine, where is it?" she asked, annoyed by him constantly calling her "Arisen" again.

"In the tent where we just were," said Rook. Ceileigh looked at him sideways, amazed that that was the end of his sentence. He remained stoic.

They re-entered the tent and Rook gestured to the back room. Inside, a large stone on a small pedestal stood almost as tall as Ceileigh herself. It looked to be cut cleanly in half and the smooth face was covered with archaic writing that had been chiseled in a spiral pattern. As soon as she approached it, a shiny red ripple like a ring of embers flowed outward over the surface and the writing glowed blue. The voices rushed into her head again.

_"WELL MET, ARISEN. WE SPEAK TO YOU FROM ACROSS A GREAT DISTANCE. THE PAWN LEGION HAS AWAITED YOU!"_

Ceileigh took a step back and went down on one knee. She closed her eyes and held her head, trying to concentrate past the volume and vibration. Both were much stronger here.

_"PRAY, FORGIVE THIS STRANGE AND IMPERSONAL GREETING. THIS RIFTSTONE SERVES AS A GATE. IT CONNECTS OUR KIND TO YOUR WORLD. IT OPENS TO THE ARISEN, FOR THEY POSSESS A WILL POWERFUL ENOUGH TO GUIDE THE LEGION. IF YOU WOULD CLAIM TO BE AMONG THE ARISEN, PROVE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR RESOLVE."_

"What do I have to do?" Ceileigh managed to say, though she could barely feel her mouth moving or hear her own voice.

_"WE SHALL GUIDE YOU IN YOUR TRIAL. IF YOU ARE AN ARISEN IN TRUTH, THIS HUMBLE TASK WILL PROVE NO OBSTACLE. THE ARISEN MUST POSSESS THE VALOR TO STAND AGAINST ALL THREATS AND THE POWER TO QUELL THEM. A TIRELESS SPIRIT OF SELF-IMPROVEMENT GRANTS THE STRENGTH TO LEAD THE LEGION. PRAY, SHOW IT NOW."_

The rushing subsided and the voices were gone. The world seemed dim and so quiet after that. Ceileigh turned to sit on the ground, breathing heavily with her eyes shut tight as her senses returned to normal. After a few moments she stood up and saw Rook sitting on one of the benches.

"Well _what_ the hell did that mean? How am I supposed to know what this trial is? Could you people be_ any_ more vague?" she asked him.

"Perhaps you will know it when you see it, Arisen," Rook stated, rising.

Ceileigh took a deep breath to keep from snapping at him. _Why can't things just be straightforward and clear?_

"Let's just…try to get some sleep, okay?" she said, brushing past him to the outer room. She started to ask Ecbal about a cot for the night when a handful of royal soldiers ran past, swords in hand.

"Cyclops!" they shouted. "To arms! Cyclops outside the west gate! Anyone with a weapon, join us!"

Ceileigh stared after them for a minute, then turned to Rook. "I think I just saw it."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I should probably say that Ceileigh is pronounced like "See-lee", just in case anyone's wondering, because I know it's a weird looking name. Also, I hope all of this action was easy to understand - I reworded it a million times. Please review! Also wanted to say if you're interested in trying them out, two songs that really remind me of Dragon's Dogma (and are awesome anyway) are "Dragons" by Stratovarius and "Tell Me" by Ra. **

"Come on!" Ceileigh called to Rook as she ran toward the encampment's west gate.

"On my way, Arisen," he said, following her immediately.

They ran across the encampment and made it through the gate in the midst of another group of soldiers. The cyclops was a short distance away, on its hands and knees, surrounded by a dozen goblins carrying clubs and torches or swords and shields. The soldiers rushed past Ceileigh and Rook to join the handful that were already fighting. Some clung to the monster's legs, hobbling it and landing as many blows as they could. Others were hacking at the arms and face, while the last few fended off goblins. The goblins posed no problem for these trained fighters, and were gone in a matter of minutes.

Suddenly the cyclops got a second wind and rose up, roaring. It swept men and goblin carcasses away with one massive arm and then the other. Of the five men knocked aside, only two got back up. Another two were flattened as the monster stomped forward and roared again. Fearsome yellow tusks protruded from the corners of its mouth and one giant, angry eye rolled back and forth, looking for more victims. Ceileigh's body once again told her to run, but if she did that she would fail the test. More importantly, people were dying.

Ceileigh's gaze fell on a soldier's broken body laying in the grass several yards to her left. The unfortunate man had a bow strapped to his back and the quiver was still half full of arrows. _Yes!_ she thought, feeling disrespectful for a moment. She ran to the body and stuffed the bundle of arrows into her own quiver. Maybe she could contribute while keeping a safe distance.

Ceileigh only had a vague idea of how to use a bow and the cyclops was still swinging its body back and forth, which made for a hard target. Rook was nearby shooting fireballs, but she lost track of him as she concentrated on her weapon. She found it difficult to hold the bow straight and still pull the arrow back fully. She stretched it to her shoulder and aimed for the monster's face. To her dismay the first arrow flew far to the left and only went as high as its waist. She quickly nocked another and let it fly, with much the same result.

Frustrated, she ran closer and aimed for its torso, figuring she couldn't miss that. She raised the bow higher and tried to keep it straighter. She managed to bounce an arrow off of its stomach but the next one missed again altogether.

"Rrgh! This isn't working!" Ceileigh ground out, tearing off the bow and throwing it down. Drawing her daggers, she ran to join the men still hacking at the cyclops' legs. A giant fist bore down on her and she rolled to the side. "Shit!" she squeaked as a flash of gray covered her vision and course knuckles grazed her arm. She regained her feet but was knocked right back down again as the ground shook from the cyclops' steps. One more step and the man beside her was crushed flat. Shock took Ceileigh's breath for a moment, but was quickly replaced by anger.

She jumped up and stuck both her daggers into the cyclops' leg with a growl, but they didn't go very far into its tough skin. Disappointed, Ceileigh pulled them out and staggered back a few steps. She needed to get to its vulnerable parts - the face and eyes. Watching the monster bellow and flail above her, she had an idea. She ran back out in front of it and waited for it to make another sweep at the ground.

The cyclops noticed her and lunged, arms outstretched. She darted to the right and just like she hoped, it stopped and swung at her. She changed direction abruptly, then twisted and stabbed both daggers into the side of the monster's curled forefinger. She used the leverage and momentum to swing herself up onto the hand so she was laying on the forefinger and thumb. She brought her legs into a crouch, holding the embedded daggers to keep steady. At the apex of the swing, she yanked the blades free and leapt onto the monster's right shoulder. From there she half climbed, half crawled, using dagger points and the balls of her feet to scramble up the neck to the top of the head. As she climbed, a white glowing swirl enveloped her daggers and turned them cold to the touch. _Rook's work?_ she wondered in the back of her mind.

Ceileigh held on for dear life as the cyclops roared and shook, trying to dislodge her. Her arms felt like they would pop right off. She pulled herself forward little by little until she reached the softer flesh of the forehead. At this angle she could feel the rest of her body sliding ever so slowly forward. Suddenly she was sliding right off.

"No, no, no - _aaaagh!_" she cried as she fell face-first. She stabbed desperately at anything and felt her arm punch through a squishy barrier and sink into something that felt like jelly. She was instantly covered in thick fluid from head to toe. She was too scared to be disgusted as she realized she was hanging by what was left of the cyclops' eyeball. Then the beast was falling silently forward; its size made it feel like slow motion. Ceileigh's arm came loose and she fell, barely catching herself on a tusk. She waited and jumped to the ground when she was close enough, trying for another roll but feeling her ankle twist badly and something else snap near her left shoulder.

The cyclops' head smashed to the ground just a few feet away. A red sigil glowed brightly for a second on its forehead, then faded altogether as the beast died. Soon its body was bubbling into a large brown puddle. Ceileigh rolled painfully away to avoid splatter and sat up.

"Please be careful, Arisen," said Rook, appearing at her side out of nowhere. She just looked at him, grimacing. What few soldiers survived were gathering around her.

"You're a hero!" one cried. "That was amazing!" The soldiers all praised her and shook her hand or clapped her on the soldier, making her wince.

"More like desperation and chance!" she laughed, breathing heavily. "I didn't think I would make it through that one!"

A pair of them lifted her carefully to her feet but she stumbled. "I twisted my ankle pretty badly," she said. "I think I broke my collarbone too. I should probably see a healer."

"Leave it to me, Arisen," said Rook. As she leaned on a soldier for support, he quickly cast a spell that enveloped her in greenish light. She gave a start as she felt her broken bone mending and her ankle being repaired.

"Wow! I feel better than new!" she exclaimed, flexing her arms and legs as the light faded. Not only were her injuries healed but she felt overall better than she ever remembered. Every little ailment she didn't know she had must have been healed at the same time.

"Was that you with the daggers earlier?" she asked Rook.

"Yes, Arisen. I enchanted them with ice to help you further debilitate the cyclops," he said calmly.

"Good job," she said, smiling at him. "And thank you for healing me." She felt ashamed for not appreciating him more before. He had useful skills and he'd been right there to help her when she needed it from the moment they met.

Their group was greeted with cheers and handshakes as they went back through the gate. Ceileigh felt embarrassed by the attention. "I don't feel like I deserve this," she said to the soldier next to her. "I'm not some brave hero, I was terrified I would die the entire time. I don't have _any_ training. All I did was run around like a fool, doing my best with what I had and making it up as I went along!"

The soldier winked at her. "Meeting a challenge despite the odds and volunteering to protect others when few others did? Sounds exactly like a hero to me!" he laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "You have a lot of potential in you, girlie!"

Ceileigh blushed, muttered thank you and made for the riftstone. As soon as she approached it the voices returned.

_"WITH THAT YOUR TRIAL IS COMPLETE. YOU ARE THE ARISEN IN TRUTH, PROVEN BEYOND ANY DOUBT. NOW, I BID YOU SELECT A COMPANION FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD. THEY SHALL SERVE YOU AND YOU ALONE, TO SHARE IN YOUR HARDSHIPS AND AID YOU IN EVERY ENDEAVOR."_

_Another pawn to follow me everywhere?_ Ceileigh thought. _That would be useful. I'd want him to be bigger than Rook though, and fight with a sword and shield, and…_ She was thinking about all the attributes she would want in a constant companion when suddenly another hole opened right there in the tent and a new figure dropped to the ground.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I forgot last time to say thank you to my reviewers, and thanks again for last chapter's reviews too. :) **

"And who are you now?" Ceileigh asked, surprised. This new man raised his right hand to reveal the same glowing mark that Rook had.

Ceileigh raised her eyebrows. "You're him, aren't you? My…companion?" The word felt strange and she shifted uncomfortably.

"This pawn is called Leandor, Arisen," he replied in a strong, sure voice. "I will remain at your side during your journey. Your enemies are my enemies. I exist to protect and serve you however I can."

Ceileigh tried not to blush at the proclamation, again feeling taken aback by the attention. She bobbed her head and thanked him, not sure what the protocol was. "So, that was simple. I thought I'd have to travel to your world to meet more of you or something. Did I somehow call you here from the rift? Can pawns hear my thoughts there, like I can hear the legion talking to me through the stone? Did they hear me and send someone who fit what I wanted?"

Now it was Leandor's turn to be taken aback by so many questions. Looking uncertain, he opened his mouth to reply but was cut off.

"So many questions!" a voice laughed behind her. Ceileigh turned to see a tall man making his way toward her through a crowd of those mercenaries she'd seen earlier. _When did they all get here?_ she wondered.

Her surprise must have shown on her face, because Leandor stepped to her side. "These are all pawns that previously came from the rift, master. They were awaiting you here." _So they HAD been staring_, Ceileigh realized. _Why didn't they say anything or approach me like Rook?_

"And I am Ser Berne," said the tall man. He wore a foreign uniform and had the same accent as the short haired woman from earlier. He had dark hair and small eyes. "I train men for the Enlistment Corps. Word's already gotten around camp that you're the new Arisen. It would be an honor to assist with any weapons or tactics training you may need."

"That would be great!" Ceileigh exclaimed with relief. "I've been a fisherwoman all my life and had time for little else. I would love some formal training." She suddenly yawned before she could stop herself. She felt drained.

"Maker, I'm tired. I only got up this afternoon, too," she laughed, then her smile faded. "I guess I've been…more active than usual though."

Ecbal poked his head in from the tent's other room. "You can sleep here tonight for a small fee," he offered, and she nodded.

"Okay, everybody out who's not sleeping here!" Ecbal announced. "Anyone who wants to rent a cot, come see me!"

Soon Ceileigh and Leandor were settled in and she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the cot.

The day was well along by the time Ceileigh awoke. Leandor and Rook were sitting nearby on one of the benches, looking like they didn't know what to do with themselves.

"What time is it?" she croaked at them.

Leandor especially looked immensely relieved to see her awake. "Master! Do you require anything? Breakfast?"

"Uh…sure, thanks," she said, rubbing her eyes.

Leandor jumped up and left in search of food and she turned to Rook. "I'm going to train today, should I bring you two with me? I don't know if you're already fully trained or what. I know you have magic, but…" she trailed off.

"We will accompany you, Arisen. We go where you go. Besides, the more we learn, the better we serve," he replied. "And it is about midday."

Ceileigh finished getting ready for the day and Leandor brought breakfast back shortly afterward. They ate in silence, then headed to the training ground. Ceileigh eyed her new companion as they walked. She guessed he was near six feet tall and he carried a sword and shield like she'd wanted. His skin was darker than hers but still fair, and he had short, dark reddish-brown hair and light blue eyes. He had an alert, serious look about him. _He's quite handsome, actually,_ she noticed, then stuffed the thought down.

"Ah, Arisen!" Ser Berne called, waving when he saw them coming. "What area do you wish to train in?"

"I don't know, is there a program all troops go through? And I need help with my daggers and bow," Ceileigh said.

"I'll teach you all the basics," said Berne. "Let me be clear from the outset - I'm a harsh master whoever the pupil. You'll master your weapons and then you'll complete three forms of training in sequence. Each serves to hone a different quality."

Ceileigh glanced at her companions on either side of her. "We're ready," she confirmed.

For the next several hours Ceileigh, Leandor and Rook learned fighting techniques, practicing against wooden men and each other. They participated in team trials that helped Ceileigh learn to direct her pawns and taught them all how to rely on each other. They learned what their strengths and weaknesses were, and what kinds of team members would be most efficient together. Days passed filled with physical and mental tests from Berne.

"Meet all challenges with that vigor and you'll make for a fine warrior ere long," Berne told Ceileigh after one session. He nodded at her pawns, who were across the practice field, striking at wooden men. "You'll be quite the force, come the day you really learn to fight as one."

"What can you tell me about pawns?" she asked Berne. "I'd never even heard of them before leaving Cassardis, and now I'm in charge of them apparently."

"Nobody knows a lot about them, but I'll tell you what I do know," said Berne. "Collectively they're called the pawn legion, or myrmidons, and they come from an unknown place called the Rift. Most people think they're strange. They're…not quite human, they don't have the same will or spark that drives us. I've heard they have no feelings and can't act of their own volition, but I don't know. They seem to learn and can make at least some decisions in battle. Battle seems to be their strong suit - they mostly hire themselves out to others as sellswords."

Ceileigh digested the information and then asked, "Do they all need to be taught like these ones?"

"They seem to come with varying levels of skill. Your main pawn, your companion, is…bonded to you, I guess you could say. He will stay closely matched with you, learning and gaining strength as you do. You may have to switch the others out, hiring stronger pawns anew when the time is right," said Berne. "I don't know how you go about it exactly, but I know you have to approach them about a contract. It's not their place to approach you."

"I see. That explains why Leandor seems to be doing so much better than Rook at training. Not that Rook's bad," Ceileigh said, feeling disloyal. "But he's not as good as Leandor; he seems to have hit a plateau." _And no wonder no pawns have even talked to me, _she thought.

That evening after training, Ceileigh took Rook aside and told him the news. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me," she said sincerely. "But I have to keep the most skilled team I can at all times during my journey."

"I understand, Arisen. May our paths cross again," he said calmly, then simply turned and walked away.

_Wow, maybe they really don't have any feelings,_ Ceileigh thought. _I wonder where he'll go now._

"We better get to bed," she said to Leandor. "A week of training over and I'm beat."

"Yes, master," he replied, obediently following her to the tent.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Longest chapter yet! Hope you enjoy it, please review. :)**

_The dragon crashed down onto the roof of her house, nearly burying her in rubble. She could see Adaro's bloody hand sticking out like a claw from under a section of wall. Somehow she managed to crawl out and run to the inn. Pablos was there; they both hid behind the counter, barely daring to breathe. They could hear the dragon pacing outside the door, roaring and breathing fire. Then came the beating of giant wings, and seconds later the ceiling of the inn was crushed under the dragon's weight with another huge crash -_

Ceileigh awoke with a start, breathing heavily and trying to relax. _Just a nightmare_, she sighed, rubbing her eyes. Nightmares were part of real life now, it seemed. She couldn't believe she'd seen, much less fought, a dragon, goblins and a cyclops in less than two weeks' time. At least she felt somewhat better equipped after the little bit of training she'd had. Suddenly there was another crash and she jumped up, still half asleep and without any armor on. Leandor jumped up too; they grabbed their weapons and ran outside to see people running and screaming.

"What's going on?" Ceileigh yelled, grabbing the nearest person by the shoulder.

It was a leatherworker, who jerked away and pointed behind them. "Are you crazy?! Right there!" he yelled, running away.

They turned to see a gigantic gray snake rise up from behind a tent to their left. With amazing speed, it whipped forward and barreled into Ceileigh's shoulder, spinning her around and knocking her to the ground. She pushed herself to her feet and controlled her breathing to recover from the impact. She was shocked when a second snake struck the tent and sent it flying. Then a third head rose up, weaving back and forth menacingly.

"Master, a hydra!" Leandor declared, drawing his sword. Ceileigh had heard of them but this was the first one she'd ever seen. It was much, much bigger than she'd pictured. Soldiers were already gathering around them, ready to fight. Two more snakes rose up, hissing. All five were attached to the same body and had gigantic fangs they looked all too eager to use.

"Let's not wait around here!" Ceileigh shouted. "They can't strike you if you're right next to them!" They all ran forward, colliding with the hydra's softer undersides, stabbing and slashing. The hydra hissed and writhed, lunging but unable to connect with them. Ceileigh hoped everyone else had gotten out of the way.

The monster slithered forward steadily, slowed down by the attack but ultimately unstoppable. Men on either side of her were climbing the creature to avoid being rolled over. The hydra was clearly still going to do what it wanted; there had to be another way to stop it.

"Leandor, run out and get its attention!" Ceileigh shouted to him as they stepped back again and again, slashing where they could. "Give me your sword!" she said to the soldier nearest her.

"On my way, Arisen!" Leandor replied, running out at once. He turned and banged his sword and shield together, taunting the monster. One of the heads snapped toward him. It weaved for a moment then lunged, too fast for Leandor to dodge. He had no choice but to jam his shield straight into its mouth; his arm disappeared all the way to the shoulder.

Ceileigh struck from the side, driving the sword into the hydra's neck. In a few pushes she had it all the way to the hilt. The creature let out a garbled hiss and tried to draw away, lifting her and Leandor a few feet off the ground. Ceileigh's weight pulled the sword down through the neck, ripping muscle and tendons and spraying blood all over her. "Help us!" she shouted, grimacing.

Those that could ran to their aid. They leapt up to stab the neck, slicing in half circles to separate the head. Ceileigh swung herself back and forth to cut deeper, finally tearing loose and landing on her back underneath it. She crouched and plunged both daggers into the soft spot between the jawbones, pushing upward with all her might. She flinched in disgust when her hands pushed through as well.

A moment later Leandor let go of his shield and dropped to the ground. The soldiers also dropped to their feet one by one. Freed of the extra weight, the hydra reared up fully, shaking, trying to dislodge the shield in its mouth. It made a perfect round plug to block the throat and that head was choking on its own tongue. Enraged now, the hydra raced forward, weaving and writhing more than ever, like a crazy hand desperately seeking to clutch and destroy. Anyone who wasn't fast enough was pulled under its body and crushed.

The creature quickly wrapped around one of the watchtowers. There were so many heads and they'd only damaged one; the situation seemed hopeless. The four uninjured heads were striking at anything and everything without letup. Tents, fences, shops and carts exploded into the air around them.

Ceileigh shook her head. _This can't go on_, she thought. _This whole place and everyone in it will be wiped out!_ She wasn't about to let that happen. The hydra was not going to win.

Ceileigh rushed forward without warning, Leandor scrambling after her in surprise. "Keep it occupied in the front, I'm going up this way!" she shouted to him and anyone else nearby. She made for the back ladder of the watchtower and started climbing.

Leandor and the soldiers gathered in front of the hydra again, dodging its blows and slicing it where they could. One soldier caught a head by the corner of the mouth with his sword as it rushed by and opened a huge gash down the side of its face, leaving the mouth hanging open and pouring blood. Another head dove for Leandor but he threw himself backward and stuck his sword into the throat, letting the hydra's momentum slice open several feet of neck on his blade. Still on his back, he looked over to see a soldier get snapped up by a third head, but the tables were turned as the man roared and used all his strength to push its jaws painfully wide.

The head that Leandor gashed was now withdrawing slowly, hanging low and gurgling as blood poured from its neck and jaws. He ran to aid the soldier, ramming his sword into the roof of that head's open mouth. The soldier jumped backward out of harm's way but Leandor lost his weapon when the monster's mouth snapped shut, driving the sword into its brain. Now completely exposed, Leandor hoped Ceileigh was making progress on the other side.

Ceileigh had indeed already climbed the watchtower and was almost at eye level with the heads when they were drawn back. They didn't pay attention to her at all due to distraction and pain. She was pleased to see that her pawn and other fighters had left the hydra with only one functional head. The one with the shield in its mouth was two away and looked like it was hanging by a thread.

Ceileigh leapt onto the nearest neck, again using her daggers to hold herself in place as she crawled across it. When it was level with the next neck she jumped onto that one. She worked herself around so she had a foot on either side of the gaping wound, then planted one dagger into its hide while she gouged through what was left of the meat holding it together. Finally, after a lot of stabbing, wrenching and even kicking at the head with her foot, it dislodged with a loud crack and a wet pop. The rest of the neck and body fell to earth with a thud, throwing Ceileigh off in the process. The hydra retreated then, dragging its dead and injured parts over the large hills at the back of camp.

"Master, are you alright?" Leandor said, full of concern as he rushed to her.

She rolled carefully to her back and laid motionless for a minute on the ground. "Yes. That was very jarring." She groaned, holding her neck. She stood up to see the short-haired foreign woman, soldiers, and others gathered around the severed hydra head. She was surprised to see a mark on its forehead glow red and disappear - the same mark the cyclops bore. A mage waved a glowing staff over the head and some kind of shiny white sparkles settled all over it and disappeared.

"What was that?" Ceileigh asked, stepping forward. She was immediately rushed by soldiers and other grateful folk. She disappeared momentarily in a wave of handshakes and praise. The foreign woman turned toward her, frowning. Ceileigh bobbed her head and murmured thank you until they dispersed.

"It is a spell, to preserve the head," the woman said. "Otherwise it will dissolve like all these beasts do, and never make it to the capital." She waved a dismissive hand in the direction the hydra had gone.

"I am Mercedes," she continued. "I lead the men of the Enlistment Corps. I've heard talk of the Arisen. They say you hold dominion over the pawns." Her eyes flickered haughtily over Leandor. "I've ordered pawns to take up arms and fight myself, but they are a clumsy lot." Her lip curled with disdain.

"I cannot call them into this world as you do or make traveling companions of them. What manner of magick lets you command them so?" She looked sharply at Ceileigh for a moment, then away. "Well, it matters not. The dragon is come. I'll welcome any help, be it pawn, Arisen, farmer or _fisherwoman_," she said pointedly. Ceileigh raised her eyebrows as Mercedes turned back to the head. _There's not a spot of blood on her,_ Ceileigh thought spitefully. _Where was SHE during the fight?_

"Ancient tales of the Arisen are all well and good, but make a gift of this head to the Duke, and…people will have something tangible to believe in," she said.

She turned to Ceileigh again. "Prepare yourself, then accompany us to Gran Soren. We leave this afternoon." Mercedes sauntered away after that command.

"What is her _problem_?" Ceileigh said to Leandor. "All high and mighty just because she has a fancy outfit and a command! I didn't see her chopping up any monsters! And just let her try to get through one day of being a _'fisherwoman'_," she said, mocking Mercedes' accent. "What a bitch!"

He shrugged uncomfortably. Humans had a lot of issues he didn't understand and he wanted to stay out of it.

"Shall I show you how to gather pawns from the Rift?" he offered. Amazingly, the tent with the riftstone still stood.

"Sure," she replied sourly, and they headed that way. The next moment she laughed in amazement. "I can't believe we did all that with no armor on! What happened to your sword and shield by the way? Did you see the way that head just popped off!? It was gross, obviously, but also kind of amazing. Ha ha ha! That probably sounds crazy. Man I am starving! We should get something to eat after this…"

Leandor listened patiently as she babbled away like she was on some kind of high. _This Arisen very much enjoys battle_, he thought, but didn't think she realized it yet. He could sense in her a hunger for challenges and a desire to be the best she could be, a love of winning and pride in doing a job well. _These attributes will serve her well in the times ahead_, he thought grimly.


	10. Chapter 10

Leandor took Ceileigh to the riftstone and stood her in front of it.

"It's quite simple, master," he told her. "You need proximity to the stone, then just picture the rift. Think about being there, and you will be transported."

"How can I picture it when I've never been there?" she asked.

"Remember when the pawn legion first spoke to you?" he asked her. "You could feel them, right? In a way, you were connected to them and you knew where they were without realizing it. That was the Rift. Remember that feeling. Picture their voices and you will be picturing the Rift."

"Are you coming with me?" she asked him.

"I would prefer to stand guard near the stone, if you'll allow me," said Leandor. "If the stone were to be destroyed while you were inside, I would need to find another stone to bring you out of. Or if you exited before I found one, you would come out somewhere else and we would have to find each other. And this way enemies can't sneak up and ambush us as we both exit the Rift."

Ceileigh nodded, "Good thinking. Okay, here goes…"

She closed her eyes and thought back to when the legion had spoken to her. She'd seen…a dim, shadowy place the voices rushed through to reach her. She mentally followed the path backward, down a sort of tunnel, until it opened into the vague shape of a room. The tenuous walls seemed to shift constantly while murky figures came and went through them.

"I saw it!" Ceileigh exclaimed happily, opening her eyes. She was shocked when the view didn't change; she was already in the Rift. She turned around to see the riftstone rippling behind her. Being in the rift felt like a mixture of being underwater and floating on air. She suddenly realized she didn't seem to be breathing, which was disconcerting to say the least. A few wraithlike figures drifted toward her, becoming more solid the closer they got. She could see that they were pawns.

She knew she had to initiate the contract if she wanted a pawn to accompany her, but she didn't know the specifics and hadn't thought to ask Leandor about it. She decided to address the room in general.

"D-Do any of you have magic?" she began unsurely. "I'm looking for a mage and a sorcerer."

Immediately a batch of pawns left through the walls and a new set came in, wearing robes and bearing staffs. She continued. "I'm…on a quest I suppose, to regain my heart from Grigori. You'd be traveling with me to the capital for now."

The pawns just stared, bowing and raising their right hands whenever she came close. She walked among them, wondering who was best to choose. She felt a slight pull from each of them, a connection waiting to happen. When she stopped in front of one female mage and their eyes met, she gave a start. She felt information flow into her; they were flashes of the pawn's experiences and capabilities. Ceileigh saw the pawn battling wolves, a cyclops, then flying creatures. More images came through of fiery blades and ones that crackled with lightning. Then an image of the pawn healing the broken arm of - _another Arisen?_ The connection broke as Ceileigh wondered about this new information.

"Will you accompany me?" she asked the pawn simply.

"It would be an honor, Arisen," said the mage, bowing again. "This pawn's name is Rita."

Ceileigh repeated the process with a few sorcerers before settling on a male named Alvin. They all faced the riftstone and she thought them back to Gransys.

"Master, you've returned!" Leandor said, stepping forward. "Shall we prepare to travel?"

"Yes, but first let me say the Rift is kind of creepy. Do you really feel at home there?" she asked him.

"Yes, master. In this world, we pawns feel most at ease near a riftstone," he answered.

"If you say so," Ceileigh shrugged. "This is Rita and this is Alvin, by the way," she said, gesturing to the new pawns. "They'll be coming with us to Gran Soren."

Ceileigh shrugged again when the pawns didn't greet each other or say anything at all. They went to the inn tent to clean up, put on their armor and gather their belongings. She, and now Leandor by association, had been getting free meals ever since the cyclops attack, but Ceileigh wondered how they would get by in the capital.

They met Mercedes and a moderate number of soldiers a short time later by the west gate. "Good, you are ready," she said. "I'd hoped to gather a larger force before leaving, but this will have to do. I cannot say what Moonsbit Pass may hold. You'll need your strength."

Ceileigh tried to forget about the way Mercedes had acted earlier. "What you see is what we have, so I hope it's enough," Ceileigh told her. "How long will it take to get there?"

"The better part of a day," said Mercedes. "It will be slow going with this plodding ox and such a heavy load."

They traveled in silence for a while other than occasional orders from Mercedes to her men, and pawns' random, inane comments. _Why are they surprised that the sea is so close? They did pop out on the coast, after all,_ Ceileigh thought._ And yes, we all know rocks hold ore._ Finally Ceileigh asked Mercedes a question that had been on her mind. "Why do monsters dissolve when they die?"

"I don't know exactly," she replied. "Just that they are not like us. Not…made from the same fabric, you could say. They find their way into our world, but when they die their bodies can no longer hold together here."

"And do all the large ones have red marks on their foreheads?"

"What red marks? Perhaps you took too many blows to the head," Mercedes sneered. Ceileigh raised her eyebrows again and somehow held her tongue. _So much for civil conversation!_ she thought, stalking ahead to the cart.

They soon came to a waycastle which blocked a wide, very tall bridge. There was a riftstone here too, to the left of the gate, and a few tents for the soldiers who stood guard. The ravine below the bridge ended in a waterfall far to the left and opened to the ocean on the right. Mercedes commanded the guards to open the gate, revealing the rocky upward slope of Moonsbit Pass.

She raised her voice to the group. "We make for the capital, men! Like as not the cart will draw beasts along the way. But fear not! We walk with the Arisen, slayer of hydras!"

_How does she find the perfect balance of sarcasm and sincerity?_ Ceileigh seethed. She didn't think anyone else noticed Mercedes' subtly mocking undertone.

They passed over the bridge without incident, but wolves converged on them as they rounded the first curve. Five were immediately visible and over a dozen more poured out behind them from crevices in the canyon walls.

"Protect the cargo at all costs!" Mercedes cried.

"Wolves hunt in packs!" shouted Alvin.

_Does he think I'm an idiot?!_ Ceileigh shook her head derisively as they ran to meet the wolves. They easily dispatched a few who stopped to howl, but the rest proved trickier as they nimbly lunged then jumped out of reach. It was very hard to land blows on them, whereas they opened wounds every time they struck.

"They have the advantage!" Rita shouted desperately.

"Calm down and just watch for an opening," Ceileigh all but snarled. Her patience was already wearing thin with these two.

She watched the wolves' pattern - lunge, rip, leap away, repeat. The opening was brief. "Strike when they're right on you!" she instructed her pawns. "Don't try to dodge, just grab ahold and plunge in your blade!"

"Wolves are weak to fire!" Rita declared dramatically, enchanting the party's weapons with flame.

Her tone made Ceileigh chuckle. She was in a better mood anyway now that the enemy was falling left and right. She found she was enjoying herself, whirling down the canyon in a rhythm as she met wolf after wolf and took them out. Alvin's lightning shot down from the sky, frying a wolf up ahead. She felt her cuts and bruises healing every so often thanks to Rita. Leandor changed positions around her, fending off wolves that tried to edge in from the sides.

Ceileigh felt exhilarated by success and working with a team. It reminded her of fishing with a crew back home, everyone doing their part to get the job done. Only now she was the one in charge and more was at stake than a good haul. _I could get used to this_, she thought cockily, right before something plowed into her back.

She staggered forward and felt the thing tighten on her shoulder blades, digging in with razor sharp claws and pulling her backward again. Wings flapped on either side of her head and she was lifted a few inches off the ground before Rita felled the creature with some well-aimed fireballs. Ceileigh landed on her rear with her attacker flapping clumsily on the ground behind her. It shrieked like a woman dying. _Either dying or -_ Ceileigh blushed as she jumped up to face her enemy. This new creature had the body of a large brown bird but the pale face and bosom of a woman.

"'Tis a harpy, master," Leandor said, running to her side. They drove their blades into it simultaneously and it shrieked again. Ceileigh could barely meet Leandor's eyes and bit her cheek to keep from laughing. She turned away quickly and saw more harpies winging their way toward them from scraggly trees growing near the top of the rocky canyon walls.

"Harpies will snatch you and fly!" Alvin shouted.

"No shit!" Ceileigh laughed, looking at him incredulously.

She quickly readied her bow and was pleased when she struck down her chosen target on the second try. Rita took out another one with more fireballs while Leandor skewered one that dove on him. He pushed it from his sword with his boot and took out the next enemy with an overhead arc as it sped by above him. _Impressive!_ Ceileigh smiled appreciatively. The last one swooped past them all to hit Alvin in the chest, knocking him onto his back. The sorcerer grimaced as he held the creature away from his face, then put a hand to its chest and blasted it with a beam of holy light. The harpy's body jolted as the light seemed to detonate inside it, leaving it limp.

"Ha! That was awesome!" Ceileigh said, running over to help him up.

"Perhaps you do possess more than just dumb luck," Mercedes said grudgingly, walking up from behind them. "We're halfway through the pass, let's see how well you hold up for the rest of the journey."


	11. Chapter 11

They made it near to the end of Moonsbit Pass without more than a few falling rocks to slow them down. It was a boring place for the eyes; gray-brown packed sand, gray rocks and boulders, sparse gray-green brush and dark brown dying trees every so often. It became hard to stay alert in such a drab, lifeless environment. Even the pawns ceased their endless prattle and Ceileigh felt herself staring at the ground ahead in a daze as she walked. Her mind wandered to buying new weapons in the capital since Leandor was borrowing Enlistment Corps equipment right now. She was sure Mercedes would take it back when they parted ways. It was weird that Mercedes was helping them at all, with the attitude she had.

As they approached the final, downward curve of the pass, a small stone whizzing past Ceileigh's face snapped her back to reality. A few more steps revealed the canyon's exit gate, blocked by a sizeable band of angry goblins.

"Stupid humans!" they shrieked, shaking their fists and weapons. "Why are you here! You die now!"

A bigger goblin wearing heavier armor at the back of the group shouted and motioned them to charge. Ceileigh was surprised they had any type of rank or organization, but there it was.

"Rally, men! Protect the cargo!" Mercedes cried. Humans, pawns and goblins clashed together with battle cries and clanging weapons.

Leandor dodged the first goblin that charged him and knocked it to the ground. He ran it through and moved on to the next without skipping a beat. Ceileigh envied him his size as she grappled with another goblin. Finally she pushed it down, knelt on its stomach and drove a dagger into its throat, but not before it sat up enough to clobber her with its shield. _Next time pin the chest,_ she noted, holding the side of her head.

Alvin hung back, chanting under his breath as he lifted his staff. In a few moments the ground under the goblin chief softened and seemed to become rotten. Yellow, brown and green fumes curled up around the creature and from the look on its face the smell was horrible. It clutched its stomach and began to sweat.

Rita enchanted the group's weapons with fire so they left burning wounds where they stabbed. Both sides fought fiercely, but only goblins were falling. Ceileigh managed to take three more down, but felt like she was dodging and blocking more than anything. She felt overwhelmed by the number of enemies. Ceileigh pushed one away and embers flew from its chest as the soldier next to her stabbed it through the heart. She finally fell into step behind Leandor; he carved a path through the pack and she picked off whatever stragglers didn't die instantly. Soldiers fanned out behind them, systematically taking out the rest of the mob.

When all the rest were dead, they reached the chief to find him swaying on his knees. Leandor chopped the creature's head off with a single swing. _He makes it looks so easy,_ Ceileigh thought.

"What was wrong with _him?_" She asked, gesturing at the goblin chief with her chin.

Alvin spoke up from behind them. The hem of his robe was covered in dissolving goblin splatter. "I used a spell to poison it," he explained. "It is part of my role as a sorcerer to debilitate enemies so they are weakened when we face them."

"Nice," Ceileigh said. The soldiers gathered around to congratulate Ceileigh's party and each other, and to gawk at the chief.

Mercedes cut through the crowd and made for the gate. "Come, men! We are due in Gran Soren and we do not want to be caught in the dark!" She pulled a green lever beside the gate and it slowly creaked upward.

"I'm glad that's over!" Ceileigh said to Leandor. "It's almost harder fighting them than a bigger creature for me. There are so many and you have to watch everywhere at once. It's difficult choosing who to go after."

"Even in numbers, a weakling is a weakling still," Alvin said confidently.

Ceileigh reddened. "Sorry if I have trouble with 'weaklings', I haven't existed only to fight my whole life," she said indignantly. Alvin looked at her curiously.

Leandor pushed Alvin back gently and stood between them. "We can all train more when we reach Gran Soren, Arisen. It is the center of all Gransys; surely it will provide us great opportunities," he said. "I am sure you will excel at all scenarios in a short time."

Ceileigh nodded mutely, and they headed through the gate. She appreciated Leandor's support and understanding. From what she'd seen so far, he seemed to have more people skills than the average pawn. She suddenly noticed a goblin hiding in a bush to her right. She brought an arrow to her cheek and it sprouted from the creature's neck in the next instant._ How about that? Looks like I'm getting something right,_ she thought proudly, her mood lightening a little. She and Leandor exchanged a look; even though he didn't quite smile, it felt like he did.

The path took a left turn, downward again, into open country. It widened into a well-managed red dirt road. To either side, trees of all sizes stood here and there over grass-covered plains and gently rolling hills. A few small ruins, sections of old walls, stood a ways down the road. Beyond that, the massive stone walls of Gran Soren loomed.

"We're almost there, men!" Mercedes called, motioning them to follow her and the cart. Ceileigh fell in with the soldiers as they spread out to march in a ring formation around the cart. Night time was an hour or two off as far as she could tell. A faint snorting sound drew her attention to a small herd of cows at the side of the road. They watched the group's passing with calm, droopy eyes. _They remind me of Rook,_ she laughed to herself.

As they approached the ruin walls, a soldier pointed and cried out. "Bandits!"

Arrows suddenly rained down on them. Two soldiers fell, clutching their wounds. Other arrows hit the ground or stuck in the hydra's head. The ox pulling the cart stumbled for a moment and Ceileigh was alarmed to see an arrow lodged just above its shoulder. Mercedes shouted encouragement and threats alike to her men. She seemed enraged by this latest interruption. She held up her sword and shouted, "We will get this prize to Gran Soren if we have to carry it there ourselves!"

The first bandit the soldier had spotted was walking toward them carefully, sword and shield at the ready, but the rest were still hidden. Alvin called down lightning on one of the ruins and men scattered from it like rats. Soldiers ran after them, shouting. Alvin repeated his attack with each section of wall, flushing out more groups of bandits.

Ceileigh tried not to panic as she whirled to face man after man. It was the worst possible scenario for her. These enemies were both strong and intelligent, and there were a lot of them. On top of that, she was getting physically worn down. She was barely fending them off as it was, and she couldn't go on much longer.

Suddenly Leandor was at her side. "Strength in numbers, Arisen. Stay close to me," he said, positioning himself between her and the nearest bandit. She felt a rush of gratitude but also felt ashamed for being the weakest person there. Once again she found herself in Leandor's wake as he easily sliced his way forward alongside the soldiers. Before she knew it the outlaw's numbers had dwindled significantly. The remaining men were either retreating or firing arrows from afar.

Leandor lunged to the left, his shield catching an arrow that was headed straight for Ceileigh's face. With the rogue's position revealed, Ceileigh fired an arrow of her own and saw him topple out from behind a bush._ I killed a person,_ she thought distantly, quickly followed by,_ but he would have killed ME. See them only as the enemy, or you'll be dead._

Glancing back, Ceileigh noticed Mercedes alone, cornered by a huge bandit. He carried a wide broadsword as long as himself, lined with teeth on both sides. He had her trapped against a cluster of big rocks with nowhere to run. Mercedes blocked his next blow but was knocked to the ground. The bandit raised his sword to finish her off, but Ceileigh put an arrow in his shoulder and he bellowed angrily, turning to find his attacker. She was already running in an arc around him; she fired three more arrows in rapid succession and two found their way deep into his torso.

The man ran at her despite his injuries, somehow holding the huge sword above his head, looking furious and ready to slice her right in half. From the corner of her eye Ceileigh saw Mercedes jump up and run to join the rest of the group, leaving her to fend for herself against this giant. She pushed back anger and focused on dodging the bandit's first blow. He buried a good third of the sword into the ground where she'd just been standing. _Wow this guy is strong!_ she thought with a new stab of fear. She knew she didn't stand a chance fighting him directly.

She ran back toward the rocks and he followed, slicing at her as they ran. Ceileigh was very fast, but the distance was too short for her to get ahead. She tried climbing the rocks, but he was on her too quickly. She barely dodged another blow that clanged against the stone instead, then circled the boulders to put a barrier between them. She was edging backward with her bow at the ready when she heard a footstep and realized he was sneaking up behind her. She spun around and he punched her, hard, right in the nose. She dropped instantly, blinded with pain. She vaguely felt blood streaming down her face and heard the bandit laughing as he raised his sword again.

Suddenly he arched up on his tiptoes, his arms bending unnaturally far back over his head. His hands tightened so hard on his sword hilt that his knuckles were white and all the veins in his arms stood out. Ceileigh rolled onto her side, hands over her nose, to see crackles of lightning covering his body. Alvin stood a few feet behind the man, maintaining the spell that effectively paralyzed him. A sword sliced through the bandit's chest from behind, Alvin released the spell, and the man fell face-first onto the ground. Leandor yanked his sword from the body and stepped over it to pull Ceileigh to her feet.

"Master! Are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern. Rita was there too, her staff glowing with that yellow-green light that meant a healing spell. The light surrounded Ceileigh and once again she felt her injuries mending, only this time it was more painful and she cried out, glaring at Rita even though she didn't deserve it. Of course the mage didn't seem affected by her anger.

"We will be faster next time, master," Leandor said solemnly, looking very repentant.

Ceileigh couldn't help but smile at the look on his face, like he had committed the worst sin imaginable. It was endearing that he took his duty so seriously, even if it was because of the Arisen-pawn bond.

"You were here in time, that's what counts. All this happened much faster than I realized. I shouldn't have let myself get separated like this, and you - all of you - saved my life. Thank you," she said. "And I'm sorry I got mad at you, Rita. Once again I feel better than new after being healed."

"It is not only my duty, but an honor," said Rita, inclining her head.

Ceileigh shook off the compliment by turning toward Gran Soren. "Now let's catch up with that bitch Mercedes and ask why she abandoned me to die after I came back to save her sorry ass."

"Humans certainly have many colorful phrases," Alvin noted.

"As long as you're with me, you'll hear a lot of them," Ceileigh laughed as they started toward the city. The rest of their party was almost at the main gate already.

Ceileigh turned to Rita as they walked. "Can you tell my nose was broken?" she asked.

"Everything is as it should be, Arisen," was Rita's reply. "Your nose has returned to its original shape."

"Oh…," Ceileigh said, feeling it gently with her fingertips.

"Are you…disappointed?" Rita asked, seeing the look on her face.

Leandor watched the exchange with something that might be called amusement. This Arisen was different from most other female Arisen he assisted from time to time. If he were human, he would probably find her personality…endearing.

**Author's Note: UGH. I totally struggled with this chapter for some reason. I hope it all makes sense and you can picture what's happening. Please review and let me know what you think! And now to shamelessly plug my husband's story-in-progress: go check out Lift Me up, a Resident Evil fanfic by Soul of Draken. )**


	12. Chapter 12

Ceileigh wanted to confront Mercedes immediately but when they reached her she was already passing through the city gate. They shouldered past her men and finally saw her in the square. She stepped up on the rim of the fountain in the center of the square and clanged her sword and shield for attention.

"We've arrived! Good work, men!" she announced to the group. "A hydra's head is a fine prize. His Grace will be pleased with the Corps' work. Walk proud though these streets, for we are heroes to the people of Gran Soren! Now rest up, we deserve it!"

Ceileigh approached Mercedes as she hopped down from the fountain. "Why did you leave me behind out there? I went back to help you and you left me to die!"

"A little overdramatic, no?" Mercedes scoffed. "Unfortunate things happen in battle. If you cannot handle it, I would suggest staying out of the way."

Ceileigh snorted derisively. "It was no accident! And you know I was the one who removed the hydra's head." She had a sudden realization. "Did you bring me along just hoping I would die so you could take the credit?"

"Again I have underestimated you, it seems. You are sharp for a nobody," Mercedes smiled wickedly. "No matter. Word is already spreading of the Enlistment Corps' victory and bravado. There is nothing you can do to stop it now. Whose word do you think people will believe?"

The cart and soldiers were already heading down the street to the duke's castle. Mercedes yanked Leandor's shield and sword out of his hands and turned to follow them. "Make yourself at home, Arisen. _Lose yourself_ among the people of Gran Soren," she laughed over her shoulder.

Ceileigh stared after her for a moment, her mind racing with things to say. Instead she thumped down on the fountain, shaking her head in disbelief. How could Mercedes discount her after all she'd done? Hadn't she proved herself even a little bit worthy? In Cassardis, expert fishermen and women were highly respected members of the community. Even though everyone there knew the basics of fishing, it was crews like Ceileigh's that kept the village thriving. Although Ceileigh wasn't overly prideful, the dismissal she felt from most people out here in the world was something new and it took the wind out of her sails for a minute.

It also made her realize that she was really on her own, with no one to back her up but her pawns. For the first time in her life she had no safety net, no friends to fall back on. Perhaps she would make some along the way, and perhaps not. Either way, she wasn't about to let anything stop her from getting her heart back and proving she could fulfill the role of Arisen. One corner of her mouth lifted at the memory of Adaro chuckling, _"Minnow, the fastest way to make you do a thing was always to tell you that you couldn't."_

"Are you alright, master?" asked Leandor, leaning over to look at her face.

She stood up with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Yep," she said flatly. "I would say let's find the inn but I have no money for a room."

"I have gold, Arisen," Alvin spoke up, fishing a handful out of his belt.

"Where did that come from?" she asked, surprised.

"I found in the in the fountain while you were sitting," he said.

Ceileigh laughed. "Those were probably thrown there by people making wishes and now you've taken their offerings back. That's a lot of lives you've ruined," she joked. Alvin looked stricken.

"I'm _kidding_. You've never heard of wishing wells or throwing coins in a fountain? Never mind…let's go."

The inn wasn't hard to find, it was right there in the square. A sign hanging from the eaves read 'Gran Soren Union Inn'. "I hope this is enough money for all of us," Ceileigh said, pushing the door open.

A short man in a red hat, yellow coat and white cravat greeted them from behind the counter. He was quite tan and a black goatee.

"Are you the Arisen all are speaking of?" he asked._ Apparently word's getting around about me too_, Ceileigh thought smugly, but her shoulders slumped again at his next words. "You've a plainer air than I expected."

"Ah, forgive me, I spoke poorly," the man said hurriedly. "I'd simply imagined a sort of figure pulled right from legend. Pray, allow me to begin anew. I am Asalam and this is my inn. Though we deal in a number of trades here. I hope this is the first of many visits, ser. I am at your service."

"We'd like rooms for the night," Ceileigh said. As it turned out, the coin they had was only enough for one room._ Looks like I'll be sleeping in my clothes yet again,_ thought Ceileigh with an internal groan. She hoped there were four cots at least.

To the left there was a waiting area and there was a dining room with a fireplace behind the counter. To the right were the very cheap rooms, which was really one big room with several cots in it, with another fireplace and a wooden partition to make it semi-private. The fireplaces were dormant since fall had barely begun. On the left wall of that room was a stairway leading to the second and third stories, where the proper rooms were located.

When they opened the door to their room, Ceileigh was dismayed to find only two beds inside. Ready for them to protest, she told Rita and Alvin they would have to sleep on the floor. However, all they said was, "Yes, Arisen." They took the blankets from the beds to lay on, leaving Ceileigh and Leandor with only sheets.

Ceileigh noticed all the pawns kept glancing in the same direction as they prepared to sleep. "What is it?" she finally asked them. "What are you looking at?"

"There is a riftstone nearby, Arisen," said Rita.

"And a great many of our kind," Alvin added. "There, to the northwest."

Leandor had a distant look but didn't offer any insights, and Ceileigh let it go for now. They all lay down and she realized just how tired she was. She wrapped herself in the sheet, turned toward the wall and was fast asleep in minutes.

The next morning Ceileigh was amazed by how refreshed she felt; she must have slept very hard. "We need to make some money if we ever want to move on," she told the pawns. "I saw a notice board downstairs with job postings on it, let's start there."

They found a few prospects but headed out to find some food first. At an outdoor pub called Arsmith's Alehouse they were able to unload a shipment of crates in exchange for breakfast. They found another notice board there with more job postings. Ceileigh felt strange among so many people rushing about their daily tasks with barely a glance for each other unless they were directly involved with the matter at hand. Cassardis only had a few hundred residents and everybody knew each other.

As they checked out various food stands and shops, they passed a crier. "The Duke's brave Enlistment Corps has dispatched the foul hydra wot terrorized the southlands!" he shouted to all who would hear. "Brave Ser Mercedes struck the mortal blow, felling the vicious creature!"

Ceileigh ground her teeth and shot the man a dirty look, though he didn't notice. They explored the square further, noting Camellia's Apothecary and Caxton's Armory for whenever they had money to spend there.

"I highly recommend Caxton's," said a voice from behind them. They turned to see a very dark-skinned man in a red tunic smiling at them. "They have the finest weaponry in Fountain Square."

"Who are you?" Ceileigh asked.

"I am Mason," he replied, putting a hand to his chest. "And you are the Arisen, yes?" He had an island accent. The glint in his eyes made Ceileigh slightly uncomfortable. He seemed like he knew a lot of secrets. She didn't answer him immediately.

"Pawns are woven tight into the fate of the Arisen," he continued. "If you'd know your destiny, know them."

"Sure. Thanks. We better be going," she said, starting to walk away. He simply watched them go in silence, still smiling and rubbing his chin.

"That guy's creepy," Ceileigh whispered to Leandor when they'd put a little distance between them.  
"But he's right about one thing. I do have a lot of questions, and maybe that group you felt earlier can help me understand everything that's happening. Should we go find them? After that we can ask about some of these jobs."

"If you like, master," said Leandor with that not-quite-smile again.

"This way, Arisen," said Rita, hurrying away.

The street between the apothecary and the armory led to an open archway. They passed under it onto a road leading left and downward. Where the road ended was a building even bigger than the inn, with a fair amount of people coming and going out of it. To the right of the road, straight ahead through the archway were workstations, barns and small homes around the edges of a large field. The whole area was surrounded by the city wall, with another gate on the far side of the field.

"The riftstone lies this way, Arisen," Alvin said, pointing toward the large building. He and Rita practically trotted toward it then. Leandor stayed by Ceileigh's side but his eyes were locked on the building and he was frowning slightly.

"What is it? Aren't you excited to meet more of your people? And didn't you say being near a riftstone makes you…happy…or whatever pawns feel, er, think?" Ceileigh faltered, still unsure if pawns really had emotions or not.

"That is true, master," he replied without looking away. "However, I sense something else there. Something malicious."

They reached the building to find Alvin and Rita standing just inside the door, looking somber and talking to a brown-haired man in a navy blue outfit covered by a cream tunic. He was a pawn from the look of him, but he somehow stood out more than most of them. _Like Leandor,_ Ceileigh realized._ It's like there's something extra inside._ The pawn turned to greet her.

"Welcome to Gran Soren's Craftsmen's Quarter, Arisen. We have felt you approaching and awaited your coming," he said. "This pawn is called Barnaby. I attend to the affairs of this Pawn Guild. The Guild serves as a place of rest for pawns, and as a gate to the Everfall."

Leandor's frown deepened as he took a step forward.

Barnaby held up a hand to stop him. "The Everfall lies beneath Gran Soren. 'Tis a place of great importance to our kind. Something _has_ been amiss lately, but we will discuss it later. For now, let us rejoice in the coming of the Arisen, the light that guides the Legion."

"Can you answer some questions for me?" Ceileigh asked him.

"I will do my best, Arisen," he said. He led her to a table and chairs and gestured for her to sit. "What is it you wish to know?"

**Author's Note: Hopefully you didn't find this chapter too boring, but action can't happen every second I guess, and the rest of the plot has to advance somehow. ) Thanks to my loyal reviewer koryandrs - I see a lot of views/visitors but hardly get any feedback, so feel free to let me know what you think so I have an idea of what people like or not. **


	13. Chapter 13

"Okay first of all, what is the full story about Grigori? Everyone hears about the cycle of the dragon as a kid, but I didn't really pay attention and I definitely didn't think it was real. I thought it was one of those fables to teach you a lesson, like 'be good or the dragon will get you when he comes'. Even after he attacked, I didn't think about it being related, but now I'm wondering," said Ceileigh. "I never heard of pawns or the Arisen before though."

"Different dragons descend on us and can only be defeated by the Arisen, who holds the lives of the entire nation in their hands. I do not know what compels the beast. He comes from a place similar to the rift, though none know exactly where," Barnaby told her. "How the Arisen is chosen is also a mystery."

"Okay, so how long ago did he last appear? Is the Arisen before me around to get advice from or has it been too long?" Ceileigh asked.

"Sometimes thousands of years pass, and sometimes much fewer," said Barnaby. "Cycle times vary in different realms as well. In this realm, Gransys' cycle ended a few hundred years ago. That is why the story is still relatively fresh in the minds of your people."

Ceileigh sighed. "I was hoping they were still around to join me and help me raise a pawn army."

"Forgive me, but only one Arisen at a time can take on the dragon. Also, you can only contract with two pawns at any given time. Not counting your main pawn of course, who will stay with you always."

"What?! Four of us against the biggest creature I've ever seen?" Ceileigh half shouted.

"It is the way," Barnaby said calmly. "There is nothing to be done about it. Do not worry, however. You have been made Arisen for a reason. You have the willpower and drive to make yourself ready for the task."

Ceileigh shook her head._ This was only supposed to be my starter group!_ "Okay, here's another question that's been bugging me. When I went into the rift, I had a vision of Rita healing a man. Somehow I knew he was also an Arisen. Ever since, I've been wondering if there was more than one Arisen. From what you told me, I thought maybe he was the last one from Gransys. Yet you say there can only be one…active, I guess, Arisen at a time, and he was still fighting out in the field. So now I'm guessing he's from one of these other 'realms' you're talking about? Another reality?"

"You are correct, Arisen. Many worlds exist side by side, connected only by the rift and places like it. Humans cannot cross from world to world, but those such as pawns and monsters can. All pawns, even your companion, can travel between this world and the rift, and to other worlds beyond."

Ceileigh took a minute to process this. "So whenever I release pawns from their contracts, they go to different realities and find other Arisen to help?"

"Many do, yes. Some stay a while, doing minor tasks for whoever will hire them, or they go back to the rift and wait there. Pawns need not be released to visit other realms, however. Many times they travel while sleeping."

"Wait - so the pawns that are with me right now leave, what, an empty shell in bed every night?" She glanced back at the three of them. They were standing together, Rita and Alvin studying their surroundings in silent curiosity while Leandor watched her and Barnaby with that ever-serious look on his face.

"Not quite. Pawns are not…whole, like humans. Our beings are fragmented. These fragments are spread throughout different worlds, supporting multiple physical forms of each pawn. Several fragments will gather into a body that is contracted. When they are released, only a few fragments remain, changing location as needed until that body is contracted again. The body you see, along with some consciousness, is with you while they're contracted to you. Your companion is bound to you, so most of his consciousness is always with you. Less of his fragments come and go, but most of them are still out there."

Ceileigh sat back. "That is - it's just - amazing. And sounds crazy," she said. She was astounded by everything she'd heard.

"One thing is clear," she continued, getting up. "We need a _lot_ more training before we face Grigori. I mean I already knew that, but if only four of us will be facing him, each of us need to be practically unstoppable! Besides, we can't keep scraping by out in the field. I'm surprised we've lasted this long - or that I have at least." The pawns seemed to have an innate fighting ability, no matter what their experience. They came equipped with a foundation Ceileigh was still working on.

"If you wish, there are training grounds near the castle. The Enlistment Corps and other soldiers use it regularly. I am sure the Arisen would be welcome," Barnaby told her.

_I wouldn't be so sure_, Ceileigh thought, picturing Mercedes driving her away on sight. She thanked Barnaby and they agreed she could come to him with questions any time. She was halfway out the door before she remembered what he'd said about the Everfall. Even though she was in kind of a daze from all she'd learned, she stopped short and asked, "What was that problem you mentioned? Is it something I can help with?"

"We have sensed a malevolent presence there of late. We would be grateful if you would journey downward and discover its source when you can," he replied. "There is no rush, for now I can feel that it remains far below with no intention of rising. If you would feel more comfortable after more training…"

"Yes, that's a good idea," Ceileigh told him, laughing with relief. "I feel ill-equipped to take on anything else yet. I'll come back to help you as soon as I can." She took one last glance around the main room. There was a notice board there too that she'd have to check out later, and at the end of the room was another riftstone on a pedestal. She hadn't paid attention before but now she could tell all the people in the building or coming and going were pawns.

Just outside the Pawn Guild, Ceileigh was startled by a man's form swirling together out of nowhere inside a circle of oddly shaped blue-gray rocks she hadn't noticed before. The rocks shone brightly as he appeared, then stopped as he walked away. Ceileigh stared at him in shock as he walked calmly by, not even glancing in their direction, as if he did this all the time.

"What on earth is _that?_" she asked, pointing at the rocks.

"Those are portcrystals, master," Leandor informed her. "One can travel between portcrystal sites by using a ferrystone."

"Well they have stones for everything, don't they? Riftstones, ferrystones, what next? Why wouldn't people come and go out of thin air?" Ceileigh threw up her hands and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going now, Arisen?" Alvin asked as they trotted after her.

"To find the training ground and do something _real_ to help our situation," she said over her shoulder, not slowing down. Her words were clipped and her voice sounded strained.

Leandor caught up first and matched her pace. "Are you alright, master? Do you need to rest?"

"No," she answered shortly in the same strange tone, turning her head away.

Leandor paused for a minute, then asked, "Are you ill?"

"No! Let's just find the training ground," she said, wiping quickly at her face.

They reentered the city proper through the archway, turned left at Caxton's to briefly enter Fountain Square again, then went straight from there to follow the route Mercedes and her men had taken toward the castle. The cobbled road led past the inn, went through another open doorway in a wall to the left, then curved back on itself, ending in the Noble Quarter. It didn't take long to find the training ground. It was surrounded by a low wooden fence and took up the space between a grand cathedral on the right and the Duke's castle straight ahead. On the left were noblemen's estates and a gate leading back into the Craftsman's Quarter from the opposite side. Ceileigh realized they'd walked in a big circle around that area.

Well-dressed men and women strolled across the lawns and soldiers in their blue, white and red uniforms stood guard at the castle gate. There were only a few soldiers practicing on the training ground at the moment. As they got closer, Ceileigh felt a burst of gratitude to recognize Ser Berne as the instructor. _What a relief to see a friendly face right now,_ she thought, tearing up again. She quickly got herself under control before he noticed anything was wrong. She didn't want to seem weak.

The older man smiled as they approached. "Arisen! How are you faring? What did the Duke have to say?"

"I'm doing okay, thanks. I haven't talked to the Duke, actually."

"Ah, well, surely Mercedes will send for you soon?"

"Perhaps," Ceileigh said with a wry smile, putting her hands on her hips. She didn't want to badmouth Mercedes to her fellow Corpsman, even if she did deserve it.

Berne seemed uncomfortable, as if he guessed what was going on. "Ah, well no doubt you will hear from her soon," he repeated, bobbing his head a little.

Ceileigh smiled genuinely that he would care how she felt. "Yes," she said, going along with the charade. "For now, I was hoping to get some more training in. I was actually hoping you could help me with a regular regimen."

"Of course!" he exclaimed, glad for the change of topic. "What would you like to start with for now?"

They spent the rest of the day exercising and perfecting what techniques they already knew. Ceileigh was already strong and toned from working on a boat for years, but she still needed a lot more muscle to face all these new foes. She was a fast runner and sure-footed, but barely familiar with how to move in a fight. It was like learning choreography for a very extended dance. By the end of the day, she knew it was time to contract new pawns. When Ceileigh told them, all they said was "may we meet again" and ran off immediately.

Ceileigh left the training ground then, looking around in kind of a depression as she walked slowly back toward the inn. Now that she wasn't focused on physical work, her mind went straight back to her plight. After the news she'd received earlier, she didn't even feel like pursuing any of the jobs she'd discovered. She could feel Leandor hovering at her side as she stared around her blankly, but he thankfully remained silent all the way back to the inn.

Outside the door of their room, Ceileigh turned to Leandor. "Do you mind if I have some time to myself for a bit?" she asked tiredly.

Leandor hesitated for a moment. "I will be remiss in my duty if I leave you alone," he said uncertainly.

"Well sometimes people need their space," she said a tad irritably. She felt lost, with no idea how she was going to accomplish the task before her. She was so overwhelmed that she could barely find it in herself to be angry about her situation, though it was simmering below. Dropping her gaze, she slipped through the door and shut it quickly behind her.

Leandor stared at the door for a second, then announced, "I will guard the door." He wasn't sure if she heard him or not. He took up a post to the right of the door with one hand on his sword hilt. Having the Arisen out of his sight made him uneasy, but she had made it clear she didn't want him around and he couldn't defy her.

Inside the room, Ceileigh was kneeling with her arms and head on her bed. She stared at nothing for a while, seeing only the thoughts and anxieties swirling in her head, until a huge weight descended on her and the tears came. At first her expression barely changed while tears ran silently down onto her folded arms and the bed underneath them. Finally her face crumpled and she pressed it hard against the mattress, holding in her sobs so that only sudden gasps punctuated the silence now and then as she caught her breath between them. She was still as stone except for those sharp breaths that jerked her body.

Finally she heard a hesitant knock at the door, followed by Leandor's muffled voice. "Master?"

The anger that was simmering bubbled up. "Didn't I tell you to leave me alone!?" she yelled raggedly. "Go away!"

"I must stay," came the muffled response.

"_Go away!_" she yelled louder, getting even more angry. "Why can't you listen!? Leave me alone and just - stop following me!"

There was another moment of silence, followed by the doorknob rattling. Ceileigh yelped in surprise as the door crashed open, splintering the frame. Leandor caught it before it hit the wall, then walked calmly into the room and sat on the bed. He eyed Ceileigh's red, swollen face and defeated posture. Now that he'd made it in, she seemed resigned. Ceileigh noticed that Leandor looked even more serious than normal - in fact, he almost looked angry, if pawns even could be.

"Arisen, when I said I would stay at your side, I meant it. I do not wish to upset you, but I cannot leave and I do not wish to. It is not easy for me to go against your wishes, so please stop ordering me away," he said gravely.

Ceileigh felt ashamed. "I'm sorry," she said shakily. Leandor bursting in had startled her out of crying but she wiped away the tears that were drying on her face. "I know I'm acting like a child," she croaked, laughing at herself a little. Leandor's expression softened and there might have been a glint of humor in his eyes.

"It's just that, my life has changed so much in a matter of weeks. Not even weeks, plural - it's been under two! Half my village turned their backs on me, I've had to fight for my life against monsters, I've _killed a man_, I've been shouldered with this 'Arisen' destiny I never asked for…" she trailed off for a minute, shaking her head. "I get told that three - _three_ - other people and I are the only ones allowed to fight Grigori, which, I don't care what Barnaby says, is _impossible!_ And why did I even get chosen for this? Who am I? There's so much more to the world than I ever knew, and I have no idea what I'm doing."

They sat in silence for a minute, Leandor on the bed and Ceileigh still on the floor.

"I know you will succeed," Leandor said confidently.

"How do you know?" Ceileigh asked.

"Because you are the Arisen. Because I sense you have it in you. Because you must," he replied. "And I will do everything I can to help you make it happen." He stood up and offered her his hand.

She took it and rose to her feet. "Thank you," she said, genuinely grateful and feeling a whole new appreciation for her main pawn. "And I promise I won't ever tell you to leave again," she smiled, glancing away in embarrassment. "Friends?" she asked, extending her hand.

"That is unusual, but…it would be an honor," Leandor said with a slight bow of the head.

"You're…supposed to shake on it," Ceileigh said with a smirk. Leandor looked like he had no idea what she was talking about. "Shake my hand!" she laughed.

"Oh! Yes, master," he said, obliging her. "I have seen humans do that, now that you mention it."

Ceileigh laughed again. "Well you've certainly lightened my mood," she chuckled again. "Now let's go chase down some of those job opportunities. It's getting kind of late but hopefully we can set something up for tomorrow before we go to bed."

**Author's Note: As usual, please review and let me know what you think! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Ceileigh woke up the next morning feeling considerably calmer. Anxiety was down in the pit of her stomach somewhere, but thanks to Leandor she didn't feel overwhelmed by it anymore. She felt like her normal self again. She put thoughts of battling Grigori to the side for now and focused on preparation and learning everything she could about her situation. She wished she knew if they had to find him or if he would come attack them when he chose. She didn't, however, so she could only do her best to be ready.

As they got ready for the day, Ceileigh looked forward to trying her hand at something other than fishing. She was beginning to realize just how limited her skill set was, and was very eager to expand her horizons. Even though she and Leandor were both used to getting up very early, they didn't talk much in the mornings. Ceileigh wasn't one of those people who was bright and cheery at that hour, and Leandor was too down-to-business to initiate small talk. They took what equipment they needed but left their armor propped up against their travel packs.

She and Leandor had secured two jobs the night before. The butcher needed three cows from the herds outside the city by six o'clock in the morning. Also, a woman selling game in Fountain Square needed someone to hunt small game in place of her injured husband.

"Do you know how to hunt?" Ceileigh asked Leandor as they exited the city's main gate with a nod to the guards.

"A little, master. Although my purpose is battle, another Arisen I aided was a very experienced hunter and required me to make simple snares."

Ceileigh chuckled inwardly at his single-mindedness. "Okay. These hills are full of rabbits, I saw dozens of them on the way here. How about you set a bunch of snares while I get the cows?"

If he were human, he would have sighed resignedly. "Yes, master."

They found a small herd nearby, watching them with sleepy brown eyes. Ceileigh soon found that gathering them wasn't as easy as she expected. Leandor watched from a short distance as he set traps all around the area. Ceileigh approached the herd with a rope she intended to loop around one of their necks. The cows let her get very close, but every time she tried to touch one it galloped away and turned to stare at her from a distance, affronted. It was infuriating! Six o'clock was fast approaching and so far they had zero cows.

Ceileigh turned to Leandor and gestured at the now-scattered herd in exasperation. "Perhaps we can use their behavior to our advantage, master," he said, leaving his snares to help her. He walked at one cow head-on, until it finally wheeled around with a snort and trotted away. He repeated that with the same cow, gradually guiding it in the direction he wanted it to go, until it was close to a cluster of boulders that formed a U-shape.

Leandor stayed in front of the cow with his arms open wide to keep it from running away. "Perhaps if you climb onto the rocks from the other side, master? I will guide this creature in between the rocks and you can slip the rope over its neck from above," he suggested. Feeling foolish for not thinking of something like this herself, Ceileigh slowly did as he said so as not to spook the cow. Leandor took another few steps and the dim-witted animal backed up right into the space, eyes rolling in fright now that it was cornered. Ceileigh threw the loop around its head on the first try.

She smiled, relieved. "Good idea, that worked we-!" She cut off in surprise as the skittish beast suddenly head-butted Leandor and galloped a few steps. Ceileigh, who was still holding onto the rope, flew forward off of the rock and landed flat on her face. She rolled onto her back, clutching the rope to her chest, and craned her neck around to see Leandor sitting on the ground with a slightly surprised look on his face. They just stared at each other for a moment, then Ceileigh burst out laughing. "That was hilarious! Behold the mighty Arisen!" She kept laughing uncontrollably for several minutes. The cow regarded her morosely with one large eye and snorted, shifting its feet.

Leandor was mostly used to human outbursts by now, but didn't always know what to do or say in the face of them. His lips compressed into a tight line and he frowned slightly. He was highly aware of his failure to help complete this task smoothly, as well as the undignified position he was now in. In spite of that, he had to admit it was nice to see his master smiling instead of worrying. And it was a good sign that she was laughing over this mishap instead of losing heart. He supposed he should follow suite and remain positive.

"Master, we should move along," he said, standing. "Our time is running short."

Ceileigh finally got herself under control and sighed, "You're right." She got to her feet, checked herself for damage and found none. The cow was amiable enough now that it had been captured, and they led it successfully to the butcher. They easily caught two more using the same rock cluster and thankfully neither of them tried to run. Afterward, Leandor gathered what their snares had caught while Ceileigh picked off a few other rabbits and some birds with her bow. Rabbits were very hard to hit, and birds were next to impossible._ One day this will be a piece of cake,_ she told herself. _Practice, practice, practice._

They hunted, unloaded more crates at the alehouse and did other odd jobs around town for the rest of the week until they were able to buy new armor and more supplies. By the end of the next week they'd earned enough to pay ahead on their room for a while too. Ceileigh did wish they had enough for separate rooms so she could have a little time to herself sometimes and maybe take a full bath, but so far they didn't and Leandor would clearly never allow it anyway.

Every day after work, they spent hours training. Ceileigh learned how to use different types of daggers and practiced the bow tirelessly. She slowly became better at hitting small, fast targets. She began hunting the majority of their meat and gathered lots of fruits and vegetables from the hills, which cut down considerably on expenses. She taught herself how to cook rabbit and other small rodents, various game birds, and of course she brought in fish from the stream that ran just outside Gran Soren's walls.

From time to time they caught Mason watching them as they walked through the city. He made no effort to hide his presence. He made Ceileigh a little nervous because she didn't know what his intentions were, but so far he didn't seem like he wanted to hurt them, so she left it alone. Besides, Leandor was always right there with her so she felt safe.

They had been in Gran Soren for about a month when Ceileigh finally brought up the Pawn Guild and the Everfall again.

"So I guess if we wanted to check out that Everfall place Barnaby was talking about, we better pick a new team," she said one night during dinner.

Leandor looked up a tad too quickly from his bowl, showing his surprise. He was beginning to think they might never go back to the Guild, judging by Ceileigh's reaction last time and the fact that she hadn't mentioned it again. He was also pleased to hear that she regarded herself and her pawns as a team. It was an attitude that few Arisen shared. Most saw Leandor and his kind strictly as soldiers to be commanded at best, but more often as mere instruments or even slaves.

"I did tell Barnaby I'd come back to help him. I think I might be ready now - at least I hope I am. I'm feeling more at ease with my weapons. Besides, you must be getting restless. I'm sure you're used to much more action than this," she laughed self-deprecatingly._ I must be the slowest-starting, most boring Arisen ever,_ she thought with a wry inner chuckle.

"I am very interested in what may be happening in the Everfall, since it is connected to my kind," Leandor agreed. "However, I am not bored, if that is what you mean. It is an honor to serve you, whatever we are doing." He paused, scratching at the short beard he was growing out. "In truth, I have seen more than one Arisen rush too quickly to their purpose and it only causes trouble for them. It is better to plan and prepare as you are doing."

Ceileigh glanced away at the praise, wishing she didn't blush so easily. Leandor's simple sincerity always made her so self-conscious. "Thanks, I'm just doing what makes sense to me and hoping it's the right thing!" she said with a shy laugh. _Stop acting like an idiot,_ she told herself, raising an eyebrow.

They finished dinner, put on their armor and headed to the Pawn Guild. They'd had a fairly easy day and still had plenty of energy to burn. The sight of the building brought back those feeling of being overwhelmed and panicky but Ceileigh calmly tucked them away. It was getting dark as they walked through the door and found Barnaby standing by the riftstone at the end of the room.

"Arisen! It is a pleasure to see you again. What do you require?" he asked, walking to meet them and bowing slightly.

"Sorry I took so long, but I still want to help with the Everfall," she replied, then glanced back at Leandor. "We both do."

"It is strange," said Barnaby with a small smile. "Deep within, we knew of your coming. We believed you would arise, and so we too are come, led by our unbending faith in the Arisen. And now I am so pleased that you are helping us with this mystery."

"I hope I can," she said, smiling back at him. Since there were so many pawns hanging around the Guild, she picked her team from among them instead of using the riftstone. Outside the Rift, she found that reading the pawns' experiences wasn't as easy, as if the link was weaker. She had to hold their hands in addition to meeting their eyes. She soon settled on a warrior named Killian and a mage named Hannah. Killian was close to seven feet tall, with a bald head and a scar across one eye. He wore a long blue cape, had bone armor and carried a gigantic golden sword. Hannah was a diminutive blonde woman with brown eyes and a humble green robe. She carried a gnarled brown staff with a red jewel at the top and seemed very shy.

Barnaby led the four of them to the back of the main room, past the notice board and desks piled high with books, and showed them a narrow opening in the wall to the left of the riftstone. It was very dark and barely looked big enough for two people to walk down it side by side. Ceileigh peered inside uncertainly.

"How far back does this go?" she asked, lighting her lantern.

"The passageway itself is not very long. There is a staircase just inside that leads to an open doorway. The Everfall chamber is beyond," he replied. "If you would assist me, you must travel to the bottom and find out what this strange presence is that I feel."

The rest of the party lit their lanterns and drew their weapons. Ceileigh turned back to Barnaby. "We will report back to you soon." Barnaby nodded once and walked away.

Ceileigh squared her shoulders and entered the passage. A burst of cold, damp air hit them a few steps in. The deeper they descended, the mustier it became. Ceileigh shivered from more than the cold but was determined to meet this challenge. After several minutes she could see dim light up ahead, and soon after that the passageway opened into a huge cylindrical chamber made of multi-colored stone.

Thick beige pillars supported many, many levels of a gray walkway that circled around till it reached the ground far below. The walkway was quite wide and sloped gently to the left. To their immediate right was a wall made of metal bars. Ceileigh walked to the edge and looked down. The floor was covered in a thin layer of mist and was so far away it was hard to see. She could just make out a faint blue glow near the middle of it. She was used to heights from the cliffs around Cassardis, but this drop made her dizzy. She quickly walked back to her pawns.

"Let's go," she said. "Killian, watch our backs." They set off down the path with Ceileigh in the lead, Leandor a step behind, Hannah in the middle and Killian bringing up the rear.

"I can only imagine what we're going to find down here, so keep up your guard." Right on cue, a deep growl sounded from somewhere down the spiral.


End file.
